Identity Crisis(73)

‘See you soon,’ he replied.

She hung up just in time to hear Don saying. ‘Look, I’m at the airport. I was flying back this morning, but with the threats and now this mess with Stacie, I think it best if I stick around. How are you holding up, Kay?’

She slipped back onto the sofa. ‘I’m fine. Please don’t come, Don. We have everything under control here.’

‘Threats, what threats?’ Stacie said.

‘Threatening emails,’ Garrett said. ‘I’ve been … Tess has been getting them for ages, but now that Tess has a face, they’ve gotten worse.’

Stacie shot Kendra a horrified look. Kendra only shrugged. Then she had an idea. She picked up her iPhone and K. Ryde sent a very quick email.

‘Hold on,’ Don said. ‘I just got an email in from K. Ryde. Damn, I wish the man had a phone. He’s got to be furious with all this going on. Anyway, I’ll be there as soon as I pick up another rental … Oh, wait a minute.’

Everyone leaned over Garrett’s BlackBerry as though they could see the email from K. Ryde. But really only Kendra knew in advance what it said. ‘Read it,’ she commanded.

Bachman. This mess has put my girl at risk. Now I’m taking care of it. If you feel you need to stay in Portland, that’s up to you, but stay away from Thorne’s house until I’ve dealt with this. I don’t want you interfering with my plans. If you do, I’ll pull Kay and you’ll have to figure your own way out of this mess. By late this afternoon, I’ll have it sorted. Now back off. Are we clear?’

‘Shit,’ Don cursed. And just as a chant outside Garrett’s house started – “Tess rocks, Thorne sucks, Tess rocks, Thorne sucks” – K. Ryde got an email from Don Bachman agreeing to back off.

‘I’ll find a hotel room, then,’ Don said. ‘I’ll be here if you need me.’

He cut the connection, and the three were left to watch a woman in a poison green tracksuit two sizes too small lob an egg at Garrett’s house.

Kendra stood and yanked the robe tight around her. ‘Harris is on his way. I couldn’t stop him.’

‘Shit,’ both Garrett and Stacie said in unison.

‘I don’t want to hear it, all right.’ Kendra’s control slipped. ‘We have a mess to clean up here and I’ve bought us a little time. I think Harris might be just what we need.’

‘I don’t see how Harris Walker could possibly be just what we need, and what the hell do you mean, you’ve bought us a little time?’ Stacie asked.

Garrett shifted uncomfortably on the sofa and nodded to Kendra. ‘Stacie Emerson, meet Mr. K. Ryde.’

‘Fuck me,’ Stacie breathed.

Kendra offered her a nothing-for-it-now shrug. ‘Harris won’t be here for another 30 minutes. He forgot about the construction on I-5. He always forgets. Now, if you’ll excuse me. I need a shower.’

She left Stacie pumping Garrett for information about the events of the last 48 hours.





Chapter Twenty

‘Wow,’ Stacie said as they watched Kendra storm up the stairs. ‘She’s K. Ryde. That I would have never guessed.’

Garrett nodded, his eyes still locked on Kendra’s legs as she disappeared up the stairs. ‘You know K. Ryde?’

‘Well as much as anybody does, I suppose. He, I mean she did some fabulous PR work for me a couple of years ago. But this I didn’t see coming. The threats. Are they serious, do you think?’

Garrett turned off the TV with the remote, his gaze still locked on the stairs where Kendra had just disappeared. ‘I honestly don’t know. I just know she wouldn’t be in this mess if I hadn’t practically begged her to be Tess for me.’

He could feel Stacie studying him, and the woman never missed a thing. ‘K. Ryde has dealt with lots worse stuff than this, Garrett. Lots worse.’

‘That may be. But it feels like it’s Kendra Davis I’m putting through all this. Not K. Ryde.’

‘And besides, it’s not K. Ryde you’re in love with.’

Christ! Did he actually flinch? Stacie had a way of bringing the most outrageous things into conversation as though she was discussing her shopping list. Before he could tell her how wrong she was, before he could tell her it was none of her business, she continued.

‘You’re not really going to let her shower alone, are you?’ She waved a hand toward the kitchen and the back door. ‘Don’t worry, if Harris Walker gets here before the two of you are finished, I’ll let him in and entertain him.’ She rolled her eyes as though that would be a task and a half. Then she nodded to the stairs. ‘Go. I’ll do the dishes and hold back the angry mob.’